“Naomi didn’t just study the music - she got to the insides of everything. She probably thought a lot like I did - like why did certain things sound a certain way? And what made them sound that way? It’s very earnest work...to get to the inside of that kind of music...It’s a hard way to express it, but this lady did it. There’s a great deal of depth in what you do, and I respect that a lot.”

                                -JOHNNY MANDEL

Ukamusic, the bones of rock , the flesh of blues and soul’s psychic heart (Gregory Slay ) 

...U-ka means " brightness".... the stardance light that fills the sea..."

I found this description in a children's book I was reading my son about the whales living in the Alaskan seas It reminded me of the same light I would see looking out of my loungeroom window onto the Pacific Ocean,as a kid growing up in Australia." -  Naomi 

Ukamusic is a new century world music collective founded by vocalist , composer and multi instrumentalist Naomi Louise Warne .It’s spontaneous and ever changing from the band members to the style of music, to its artwork and fashion .Based in Malibu , California, Ukamusic has become known for their pioneering soulful sound and renowned for their intimate impressive live shows With 9 albums Ukamusic’s lush tapestry of sounds, songs and moods , and has been called a “Modern 21st Century Renaissance soundscape”.
The group includes Naomi Louise Warne on vocals and keyboards , her son Gabe Deibel on vocals , Jeff Oster on flugelhorn  RAMI Jaffee on Hammond B3, David Raven on drums, Cedric LeMoyne on bass, Chris Lawrence on pedal steel and the late great Charles Neville ( The Neville Brothers) on saxophone, her longtime collaborator of 24 years until his passing in 2018.Over the last decade Ukamusic has built an audience that extends around the world with shows from Australia to England , including London’s Borderline, the New Orleans Jazz and Blues Festival , the Monterey Jazz Festival , Snug Harbor and many others.

Ukamusic’s 2020 release “Song from M*A*S*H* pays tribute to the iconic composer and legend Johnny Mandel a longtime friend and mentor of Naomi’s.Ukamusic celebrates the genius of Johnny Mandel with an evocative remake of one of his most celebrated songs at a time when people need healing .

Ukamusic weaves the listener through a sound fest of unforgettable songs; based in the blues; texturally moody; some Jazz influences and a bit of rock; a modern 21st century renaissance soundscape. Their sound become a favorite of those in the music “know” across the globe. Renowned for their impressive live shows and soulful sound , Naomi & her band  rapidly built a fan base that extended around the world selling out shows from Australia to England, including London’s famous club, ‘Borderline’. All without the involvement of a major record label.....

  The original band U-ka was created by Australian singer, songwriter and, multi-instrumentalist Naomi Louise Warne in 1993 when she lived in New Orleans.The inspiration of this city & her collaboration with the great jazz saxophonist CHARLES NEVILLE  ( Neville Brothers) produced some fabulous "live" performances, including the New Orleans Jazz & Blues Festival, and the U-Ka Live at Snug Harbour CD. They continued to play and record together over the next 24 years until CHARLES passing in 2018.



Naomi began her career at an early age singing lead vocals for Australia's Young Northside Big Band. They performed at the esteemed Monterey Jazz Festival where Naomi caught the eye of Jazz Legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Woody Herman, Joe Williams, and Buddy Rich. John Lewis of the ‘Modern Jazz Quartet’ was so taken by her voice that he compared her to the “Late, great Julie London.” ....

Naomi graduated from the New South Wales Music Conservatorium (Australia) in Jazz Studies, and holds a BA in Psychology from Sydney University. She spent her 20’s making a mark in the Australian music scene as the voice behind numerous movie and television theme songs, including the popular national children's show 'Wonderworld' , TV commercials and, as an in-demand session player. She acted in Sydney theatre productions & movies while her  original music turned up all over Australia, featured in TV mini-series and, the pick for ‘theme song’ for the ‘2000 Sydney Olympics’. Her song ‘Shine on Me’,co- written with Nicholas Charles beat out thousands of entries, including submissions by world famous artists such as INXS.....  Naomi has worked with such industry giants as Falchner 0’Kelly (Sinead O’Conner, Bananarama) and Malcolm McLaren (Sex Pistols, New York Dolls, Bow Wow Wow); and jazz & blues great Charles Neville.  Rob Hirst from Australia's iconic band ‘Midnight Oil’ calls her “One of Australia’s most gifted blues singers.”....

In 2004 Naomi recorded ‘Bermagui’, the first studio album release by U-ka, featuring Charles Neville (Neville Brothers) at the historic Winslow Court Studios in Los Angeles co-produced by Craig Parker Adams. Showcasing the songwriting talents of Naomi and Nicholas Charles, in addition to having two number one songs on i-Tunes in the Blues section , it was featured three times on MSN’s front page next to artists such as Eminem and also won a variety of ‘best of' Internet awards, culminating in U-Ka winning ‘Indie Artist of the Year’ Europe 2004. ....

While recording ‘Bermagui’, Naomi met drummer Gregory Slay (formerly of Remy Zero) who was recording in the next room. In spite of their very different styles and histories, there was an immediate bond and mutual respect for one other. Gregory’s drumming was extolled as some of the best in the world by the ‘emo/screamo’ kids and many of rock & roll’s elite. His unique talents brought  a welcome edge to U-ka’s already delightfully complex sound, showcased by 2007  release , Solu Khumbu.

Take Naomi’s smokey bluesy voice over Gregory’s soundscapes and legendary drumming, add some of Jazz’ finest(Charles Neville, James Singleton, Herb Taylor, Larry Sieberth, Jim Lassen, Kristen Gaitenby, Gregory Boyd) and a handful of Rock & Roll’s eminent ; Cedric Le Moyne (Remy Zero, Alanis Morrisette,Gnarls Barkley), Bones Hillman (Midnight Oil, Russel Crowe’s band -The Ordinary Fear of God), Mark Simms – Bass; (Ben Harper), Jeffrey Cain (Remy Zero, Beck), Takeshi (Ziggy Marley), Kevin Longden – Guitars; (John Fogerty), Rami (Wallflowers,Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl, Keith Urban), Jeff Young (Sting, Alanis Morrisette, Bruce Springsteen) and Christian Scott, and the outcome is the diverse and unique sound that is Ukamusic..."The bones of rock, the flesh of blues, and soul’s psychic heart. " (Gregory Slay)

Naomi Louise Warne
Member NARAS (Grammy.com) Producer, Songwriter, Instrumentalist,Vocalist, & Composer.
BA Psychology & Government - University of Sydney, Australia

Assoc.Dip. JAZZ- Keyboard & Vocals  NSW Conservatorium of Music, Australia
AMusA level  AMEB  classical piano
T'ai Chi ,Chi Gong

Naomi has studied extensively & taught Tai Chi & Qigong since the 1990’s.

She considers herself a lifelong student and teacher of both music and Tai Chi, Quigong.

GREGORY SCOTT SLAY passed on , January 1st 2010, in Bodega Bay, Northern California. In his short 40 years he was the best, a master & pure inspiration. He will be greatly missed. I had the privilege & blessing to know & work with him in the studio & live gigs over the course of Bermagui & Solu Khumbu CDs.

Opening verse  by Nicholas Charles from the song " Home" by Naomi Louise Warne & Nicholas Charles

Gratitude & love.
Naomi